Authorities Thursday warned business owners and employees of a recent trend of con artists posing as fire inspectors.

“Businesses throughout Los Angeles County and across the state have been targeted by scam artists who wear official-looking blue shirts and pants and claim they are there to “inspect” the fire extinguishers, smoke alarms or sprinkler systems,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said in a consumer alert.

“They ask an unsuspecting employee to sign a form authorizing the inspection,” Cooley said. “Weeks or months later, a bill comes to the business’s owner for `work done’ or `services rendered.’ The bill, sometimes for an `annual inspection,’ appears to have been signed by the employee.

Such inspections are carried out by local fire departments, however a fee is never charged, officials said.

Before letting a person claiming to be an inspector into a business, employees and shopkeepers are advised to demand government-issued identification and a business card.

“Local fire department officials all have badges, and their uniforms will state the department for which they work,” according to the consumer alert.

Anyone who believes they may be dealing with a bogus inspector is asked to contact local law enforcement, or the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Public Affairs Section at 323-881-2411.

PASADENA Woman injured in Pasadena shooting

A woman was wounded when shooting broke out at a neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.

Pasadena police said the woman, who was shot in the knee, may not have been the intended target. The shooter eluded capture.

Lt. Pete Hettema said callers reported shots being fired on Dearborn Street, east of Summit Avenue at 4:45 p.m.

Police were also told that someone may have been injured at the scene.

Hettema said witnesses heard an argument before the incident. But police aren’t sure if the dispute was related to the shooting and haven’t pinned down who were arguing, according to the lieutenant.

Police closed down the block and searched for the suspect. He wasn’t found.

Hettema said the woman was taken to a hospital with an injury that wasn’t life-threatening.

The suspect was only described as a Latino in his 20s wearing a black shirt and black shorts.

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